Over the past year, Yayasan Inspirasi Indonesia Membangun (YIIM), in collaboration with the Plantation Pension Fund (Dana Pensiun Perkebunan / DAPENBUN) and supported by corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding from PT Insight Investments Management, distributed thousands of high-quality reading books to 15 public and private elementary schools across Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and Kalimantan.

This book distribution drive forms an integral part of YIIM’s educational programmatic pillar, alongside school library construction and renovations, academic scholarships, and school supplies donations. Education remains a core foundation for YIIM in accelerating human capital development across Indonesia to build competitiveness and character.

This literacy initiative responds directly to alarming findings released by UNESCO in 2016, which revealed that Indonesia’s reading interest index stood at a mere 0.0001%—meaning that only 1 in every 1,000 citizens was an active reader. This reality was underscored by the 2016 World’s Most Literate Nations study, which ranked Indonesia 60th out of 61 surveyed nations, positioned just below Thailand (rank 59) and above Botswana (rank 61).

In selecting beneficiary schools, YIIM gave deliberate priority to remote and underserved rural schools lacking essential learning resources. YIIM specifically focused on elementary schools located adjacent to or within plantation estates managed by state-owned enterprise PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN).

Through this program, the children of plantation agricultural laborers are afforded equitable access to enriched educational literature comparable to the resources available to urban students. YIIM bridges this geographic divide by supplying premier, engaging, and culturally enriching reading materials.

This widespread educational outreach directly advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education.

YIIM actively champions foundational literacy and numeracy for all children and adolescents. By providing attractive, intellectually enriching books, the foundation seeks to nurture a lifelong passion for reading among rural schoolchildren.

YIIM affirms its commitment to extending this book distribution program throughout 2020, focusing geographic expansion into the underserved regions of Eastern Indonesia.

This literacy initiative is expected to inspire wider societal stakeholders and empower grassroots literacy advocates to passionately champion the reading movement throughout the Indonesian archipelago.

Salam Inspirasi!